Nikola Tesla and Tesla Motors Inc (TSLA) – The Past & Future of the World You Cannot Ignore- Part 1

There is something intriguing about Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) and Nikola Tesla. Back in the day, Nikola Tesla’s AC current was fighting a direct war with Thomas Edison’s DC current. While the AC current was more sustainable, the DC current needed more infrastructures and could only be transmitted to short distances.

We all know who won the current war- Nikola Tesla

A similar fate awaited the world when cars powered by non-renewable fossil fuels polluted the world. There had to be someone or some company that challenged the way our cars worked. Fortunately, this time too, we have a warrior in disguise. Its name is Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) and it is founded on the principles of electrical current by the great Nikola Tesla.

Tesla’s invention finds new life

Nikola Tesla looks more like a work of carefully crafted fiction than an actual inventor, thanks to his rise as a pop culture icon. Followers also use the term ‘futurist’ for him, for his impeccable ideas and inventions.

However, what he is known more for is his vision of free, wireless energy. Nikola Tesla was one of the pioneers of clean energy. He even built the first hydroelectric power plant of the world at the Niagara Falls to demonstrate that clean energy can be obtained by putting nature’s forces to work.

Today, a company with a vision of selling cars running on clean energy has taken up Nikola Tesla’s name in his honor. Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) is an American car manufacturer that also works in the field of energy storage and specializes in solar panels.

Tesla Inc. is standing at the crossroads of its business, much like Nikola Tesla himself. Could it be possible that the company realizes a century old dream of clean, free energy of ‘THE’ Nikola Tesla?

Monetization- Why Tesla Inc. gets an edge over Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla was not known to be an entrepreneur. He was a visionary who could visualize objects in 3D and create stuff out of it. His unwillingness to monetize or even lay claim on his patents was one of the reasons why later scientists were credited for ideas he floated.

On the other hand, Tesla Inc. brings skills of entrepreneurs like Elon Musk to work, monetizing clean energy, and becoming thought leads of the automotive industry.

In fact, it is Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) that first brought major attention to the clean fuel autos with Roadster. This 2008 electric sports car was everything an enthusiast needs, sans a fuel hungry engine. In 2012, the company launched a luxury sedan, Model S, and unveiled a new era of plug-in cars that ran on electricity. After Renault-Nissan Alliance, it is the second larger pure electric car manufacturer in the world.

The company is now busy manufacturing the Model 3. However, profits of the company have not been steady. Investors like to take Tesla earnings numbers with a grain of salt, given the high capital expenditure on the production of Model 3, and other future Tesla products.

Despite the expenses, investors remain optimistic about the company even if many consider the company stock too pricey. The sheer brilliance of the company and Elon Musk still make the company one people want to bet on.

Nikola Tesla knew it, clean energy has a bright future

In his numerous attempts to provide clean energy to the world, Nikola Tesla understood that you don’t have to burn fossil fuels to power your cars and homes.

Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) is working to make his dreams come true. The company has polarized the world of technology. While there are many skeptics that the company will fail to make it big or that it is trying to chew too much too quickly, there is a diverse investor base that keeps the company well-funded.

Not to mention, it has eerie similarities to its namesake- Nikola Tesla. The man himself kept good company with investors like JP Morgan who believed in his works. He also had formidable rivals like Edison and scores of disbelievers.

Is Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA) going the Nikola Tesla way? What does the future hold for the company? We will discuss the details of the company in the next installment of this post. Stay tuned.

Viraj Shah has completed M.Com (Finance) and is currently pursuing his CFP. He tracks US markets along with other global markets like India very closely. He is very passionate about stocks, real estate, and technology. He also believes that money can always be made in the market.